The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-01-27

"Sotu ewVrus Wuicu naO gtlttereO AZ many
a militia parade, but the majority had
bright, new navy revolvers. That we
loved justice was equally apparent from
the zeal with which the culprit was
guarded and the determin alton that he
should pay the penalty of his misdeed.
Owing to the passing of the clouds
which constantly obscured the moon
the fitful and uncertain light of the hand
lamps carried by the crowd, the laudable
desire of each patriot to be in the front,
and my own equally praiseworthy desire
to be in the background-I cannot 90
very accurately into the details of this
tribunal of the people, but will come as
close to the facts as the excitement and
surrounding circumstances will permit.
In the first place the hitherto taciturn
mob suddenly broke into an angry sea OF
Oaths and shouts, and there was q rushing
backward and forward, and here and there
the report of pistol, showing that there
was divided court even in the temple of
Judge Lynch. One group, however, had
thrown rope over the top of young
saplng, and while brawny arms adjusted
a knot on it and bent it toward the earth,
other brawny arms and violent hands
were dragging Bill on his knees towards
the moose, vainly struggling and begging
for mercy.
"See here boys" suddenly said the
leader, who was either presiding Judge or
prosecutor pro tem., as he blew fake Of
snow off the barrel of his rifle, "aren't
we going trife too fast? There are
two ways of doing a thing-and we
needn't initiate him in that partikler
Has Bill confessed? If he hain't, whar's
the identification ?" "What?" shouted
one who was tugging at the impromptu
gallows, "Do you suppose that am 60
ing to hold this tree down all night ?"
"Why, Tom see him kill Berry and the
conductor!" shouted dozen voices in
unison.
"And here's Matt and Nate seed him
shoot the Dutchman. Why, Long Jim,
what is the matter with you ?" cried still
another.
Oh, yes, there was plenty of proof
How prompt and swift were the witnesses
and how full and responsive their memo
ries. Old friends and new ones, compan-
ions and enemies, stood up and poured
our their knowledge against the hunted
and craven creature, and unfolded hi.
character as idler, hummer, drunkard,
wife beater, thief and homicide! 1t was
true there was no Gallery Jock to bully
and hector them in a 80 called cross ex-
animation; nor Judge Wigglewaggle to
frown upon the stupid and smile upon the
impudent and bold, and no sympathetic
fringe of people who love to help the un-
der dog. But probably the one circnm-
stance which told most strongly against
him in the leaders mind was the crouch
ing attitude and the heartrending appeals
for mercy.
This satisfied even Long Jim of the
Iruth OF tne cn"i HcS, ono i'o s~rV~H niu
rifle upon the ground, and, with gesture,
invited the executioners to perform the
peoples idea of justice, which they did
with frenzied shout of joy.
But this was a night of surprises.
Amid the yelling, struggling and swear,
ing there arose the cry OF "Sheriff
Sheriff. and the crowd opened and for
few minutes paused, listened and looked
eagerly toward the pike. Sure
enough, the Gathering sound of a
galloping horse could be distinctly heard
coming near and nearer, and in another
moment white horse bearing the county
officer dashes recklessly through the
crowd, which opens to let him in and then
closes behind him
Make way, hold on, stand back,
cried the burly rider, waving his revolver
and alighting close to the prisoner, whom
he wrenched from the grasp of the fel
lows holding the sapling down. ell
shoot the first man that moves. This is
my man. In the name of the common
wealth arrest -
He did not finish the sentence, for sud.
denly there passed above his head for
midable piece of wood, and then the
sheriff, his slouched hat and pocket gun
and the big, stalwart officer fell with such
force upon the ground that it was several
seconds before he turned over, rose upon
his knees, and rubbed his head and
shoulder and looked around in a confused
way for the supposed thunderbolt which
had struck him.
"Georgey, my boy" said one of the
laughing bystanders as the dazed sheriff
brushed the dirt from his face and felt on
the ground for his revolver, "don't you
know it is contempt of court to inter.
rupt it with your circus business. Be
mum, now, dye hear-and shet your
eyes and ears, or you'll get worse mol
that"
The sheriff took the hint, for he crawled
aside to the stump of tree, and crouch.
ing behind it, watched slyly the sinister
proceedings.
But another man had been watching the
unexpected interruption and saw in it the
one golden opportunity of his life, and
this was the prisoner. The man that held
him had been knocked down by the reck.
less rider, and the horse was standing toss,
ing its head within two feet of him. Bill
saw his chance, and in fash mounted the
horse, crouched almost fat on the name
and struck boldly out for liberty.
As he plunged beneath the branches,
and shot past the trees, a running fire of
pistol shots followed him, scattered the
bark and branches, but missing the fugi-
tive in the obscurity, who kicked, tugged,
and lashed the frightened horse into wild
| leaps and plunges.
To me this was better than the deus ex
,machina of the ancient play, that Bill
should escape by his own efforts. ]
wished him success for obvious reasons
What were the precepts Of Coke, the ex
plantations of Kent, and the judgments oil
Marshall-what were law colleges with
with their professors, moot courts and Ii.
braries-and what even were courts o.